


The Moment Always Vanishing

by Thistlerose



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: F/F, New Year's Eve, Pre-Canon, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-01
Updated: 2014-01-01
Packaged: 2018-01-07 00:05:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1113123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thistlerose/pseuds/Thistlerose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the first time in five years, Christine has nobody to kiss on New Year's Eve.  Carol makes a casual suggestion.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Moment Always Vanishing

“I just had a depressing thought,” Christine said, as she and Carol moved around the buffet table, loading up their plates with fresh fruit and slabs of baked Brie. “This is the first time in five years that I won’t have someone to kiss at midnight.”

Carol raised her eyebrows. Holding her plate carefully in one hand, with the other she gestured expansively about the lounge, filled almost to capacity with celebrating cadets.

“No, I know,” said Christine, looking down at her plate as if embarrassed. “But I can’t just – go up to someone I don’t know. Laugh if you like, but it feels awkward. I probably shouldn’t even be here. I should probably go home.”

“Don’t you dare,” said Carol. “It’s New Year’s Eve. We are two brilliant, gorgeous Starfleet cadets, and we are going to have fun.”

“ _You_ can have fun,” Christine began, but Carol cut her off.

“Anyway, who says you have to kiss someone on New Year’s? Lots of people don’t.”

“I know,” Christine said. “I _know_. It’s just that, for five years, Roger and I... Well.” Perhaps unconsciously, perhaps not, she rubbed at her bare ring finger with the pad of her thumb. But then she lifted her head and, with a toss of her blonde curls, seemed to flick her moroseness away. “I’m sorry to be such a drag. It’s all right. I’m going to have fun.” She picked up a toothpick and stabbed a cube of cheese with unaccustomed ferocity.

“Well, that’s the spirit. And just think: it’s the start of a new year. Who knows, your next great love might be—” 

“I don’t even want to think about that.”

“All right.” Carol hesitated. She scanned the crowd while her fingers fiddled nervously with her hair. Finally she said, “You know—”

“Hmm?”

“Well – if you really want someone to kiss at midnight, there’s me.” She said it quickly and too loudly. She tried to laugh it off, like it was a joke, only hoping Christine couldn’t see the flush darkening her cheeks.

“You?” Christine said blankly.

“Only kidding, ha-ha. Just a thought. Forget it. Look, there’s Gary Mitchell.”

“Oh, him.” Christine made a face. “I mean, I don’t _dis_ like him, but he likes to flirt and he always acts like he knows more about you than he should.”

“I know what you mean.” She didn’t go on because she didn’t really want to talk about Gary; her aim had been to distract Christine, to make her forget she’d ever made that silly offer. It seemed to be working.

“Let’s move before he sees us. I know that sounds mean, but—”

“No, I was just thinking the same thing. Here.” Carol linked arms with Christine and started to lead her toward one of the blue velveteen loveseats off to the side. Each step, she knew, each aching breath took them farther and farther away from her stupid suggestion—

_there’s me_

In another moment, it would be just a faint echo in the back of their minds. By midnight, it would be locked firmly in the past where it belonged. 

12/31/2013


End file.
